Thunder
by angel-junkie
Summary: "So bring on the rain. And bring on the thunder". Set a year after 2x24 A Deadly Game. THIS IS NOT A FIX! But it is a full year later, so it is summer again. Same songfic mode I seem to always write in.
1. Summer

**TITLE:** Thunder

**SUMMARY:** "So bring on the rain. And bring on the thunder". Set a year after 2x24 _A Deadly Game_. THIS IS NOT A FIX! But it is one full year later, so it is summer again.

**RATING:** M. For one word in a later chapter. (I could probably change it later, but I want to be sure I don't forget...)

**SPOILER(S):** Nothing major.

**SONG:** Thunder– Boys Like Girls (acoustic version)

**DISCLAIMER: **Me no own. Like always.

**A/N:** Similar to my other stuff, in that there is a song worked into this. I did it differently this time, though. You'll see.

_Round of applause for __ariel119_. _Once again, she has sifted through and beta'd. What in the world I would do without her...?_

XXX

Chapter One: Summer

The last of the sun's rays were just beginning to fall below the horizon line, as she sipped her coffee. Her bare feet rested on the wooden bars that ran around the back of the deck, her long brown legs bent at the knee acting as a table for the book she was reading. Though the book was open, she had long since gotten distracted by the waves and the setting sun.

She could feel his presence on the seat next to her. His body position almost identical, except, rather than a book, his laptop sat on his knees. Though, unlike her, he hadn't been distracted by the sight before them.

"I don't ever want to go home." she whispered, turning her head slightly, watching his fingers fly across the keys.

He chuckled lightly. "There'll be other summers, you know."

She sighed. "I know that, but they won't be like this one."

He shrugged, his fingers never slowing. "They'll be better." He replied with conviction.

She smiled and turned her head properly, eyes dancing up and down his profile. She reached out and played with his hair. "I'm glad this happened, Rick."

His fingers stopped and a slow smile spread across his face as he turned to look at her. "Kate, you have no idea."

She smiled up at him, her hair dancing in the slight breeze. "I think I do."

He shook his head and closed the lid of his laptop. "I'm telling you, Kate. You really don't."

Her eyebrow climbed on her forehead, and she let the book fall shut. "Oh and why is that?"

"Because, _you_ have no idea what it's like to wake up next to _you_."

She shrugged. "But, I do get to wake up in your arms every morning."

He tilted his head, taking her point in his stride. "We're getting mushy." He murmured, scrunching his nose up, as if he'd smelt something disgusting.

She laughed and leant back in her seat, her head still turned to him, fingers still twisting themselves through his hair.

"I do, however, agree." She raised an eyebrow again. "I don't wanna go home." He pouted like a little boy and her heart melted.

If they ever had a son, she wanted their little boy to have that same pout. And his eyes. And his charming grin.

And then she had to mentally shake herself. Since when was she planning on having children with Richard Castle?

"Can I be mushy again, just for a second?" she asked softly.

He nodded.

"I love you."

His face split into a grin. "I love you, too."

XXX

_She had stood in the freezing cold at some ungodly hour, teeth chattering as she listened to M.E. Parish tell what little she knew about the victim._

"_Female, mid- to late- twenties. No I.D. on the vic, but Ryan and Espo are searching the area. She's got bruising up and down her arms; defensive."_

"_Any idea of C.O.D.?"_

_Lanie tilted her head to the side as Castle walked up._

"_Whoa! That's just... nasty."_

_Kate rolled her eyes, but didn't comment, instead she continued to focus on the medical examiner kneeling in front of her._

"_I'll know more when I get her back to the lab, but I think it's safe to say C.O.D. was__ exsanguination__." She indicated several stab wounds in the vic's torso and Kate shook her head._

"_Thanks, Lanie."_

_Lanie nodded and watched as the two walked away. When they were out of earshot of everyone else, Kate stopped and turned to look up at Castle, standing less than two feet from her._

"_I hate cases like this." she muttered, eyes not quite meeting his._

_He nodded and resisted the urge to reach out and grasp her hand. While he knew he could get away with that kind of thing when they were alone, he also knew that now was not the time or place to show affection like that._

_The case had slowly broken her, and when it was all over, she had fallen apart in his arms. It wasn't the way he thought that first time would be, but he quickly realised that this was better._

_Yes, when they got there, the sex would be fantastic. But, by breaking like this, with him, she was showing him more than just her body. This was far more intimate than a night filled with sex ever could ever be._

_He had kissed away her tears, lips lingering on her cheeks. When he pulled back, he could see a determination and naked want that had never been in her eyes before. They studied each other for almost a full moment, and then she bit her lip, letting her eyes fall to his mouth._

_And then, she leant in and kissed him._

_It was a kiss like no other. They had fully expected their first kiss to come after one mother of a fight, when their tempers were at their highest and their passion was flowing. And, as hot as that kiss would have been, this was a hundred million times better._

_When she broke away and wordlessly led him to her bedroom, he knew there was no turning back. Not now. Not ever._

XXX

Six months later, spring had long been sprung and it was coming to that time of year where, historically, they parted ways.

But this time it was different. When he asked her if she wanted to spend Memorial Day weekend with him in the Hamptons, she had only hesitated for a second, before nodding.

She didn't have to feel guilty about wanting to go away with him, because she was _with_ him.

In his mind, he had planned to ask her to take the whole three months off, but he knew it would be a waste of breath. There was no way she would be able to swing it. He wished, with all his might, that things were different. But the fact that she would be there from Thursday to Monday was enough.

They spent hours by the pool. Hours walking hand-in-hand along the beach. Hours with Alexis and hours on their own. It had been the perfect weekend.

But then, Monday afternoon came, and she had to go.

He understood, of course. But he really did want her there with him and his daughter for the rest of the week. Eventually, after watching him pout for a full ten minutes, as she packed her bag, she had relented…

"_I'm on call next weekend, but the weekend after that I'm free. My boyfriend's going to be at his summer house... maybe I can come for a visit?"_

_His face lit up like a kid at Christmas._

"_And it's not like you're going to be alone. Alexis is here. And, I'm pretty sure she won't threaten to kill you fifteen times a day."_

_He laughed. "No, but that number is slowly creeping up. I think she's been spending too much time with you."_

_Kate smirked. "Girl has good taste."_

_Castle nodded and stepped forward, his hands automatically falling to her hips. "Takes after her father."_

_Kate's eyes dropped to his lips, and he was just closing the distance, when they heard feet stamping up the stairs. "You two have gotten awfully quiet up there. Dad, leave Kate alone so she can pack. The sooner she gets back to the City, the sooner the weekend is over. The sooner the weekend is over, the sooner the week starts. And I, for one, would like the next two weeks to fly by quickly."_

_She and Kate had discussed the possibility of Kate's return in the not-so-distant future. Alexis had agreed readily with a hell of a lot of nodding and a very girly "yes!"_

_Kate laughed. "Girl has a point. As soon as that's all over, I'll be able to come back up."_

_With that, Castle started tossing all her clothes in her suitcase._

XXX

That was how they spent their first summer together. Kate going up to the Hamptons whenever she had a free weekend, and Castle and Alexis heading back to the city whenever she didn't.

They called each other at every spare minute. Sometimes she needed to hear his take on a case. Sometimes he just wanted to hear the noises of the precinct; of Ryan and Esposito wagering their way through the day. Sometimes they would talk for five minutes, before Alexis demanded that her father hand the phone over.

And, even if he'd only just hung up with her an hour before, he would always call her after he'd crawled into his bed. If he couldn't fall asleep with her in his arms, talking until ungodly hours of the night was the next best thing.

She lived for the weekends when she could escape the city and just... be. There was no pressure on her to chase down anything or anyone (unless Castle was being _particularly_ annoying). She could stay up late, and sleep til noon.

She didn't have to worry about her hair, or make up, or whether that shirt went with those pants. Most days she would just throw a sundress on over her bikini.

She didn't strain her eyes reading file after file. She sat on the deck with her Ray Bans, reading whatever she felt like. Usually something by Castle himself, sometimes something by Patterson. Always for fun, never for work.

XXX

_The first time they had exchanged 'I love you's was at the Hampton house, during one mother of a thunderstorm. Alexis was in the city for a friend's birthday, so they had the place to themselves._

_They'd planned to have a picnic on the beach, but one look at the dark thunderheads rolling over had them rethinking. Instead, they'd closed the plastic blinds on the deck and picnicked there, watching as the storm swallowed the whole area._

_The sky flashed and the ground shook, and Rick told Kate he loved her. When Kate replied in kind, they'd kissed a slow, sweet kiss, and didn't leave the picnic blanket until the morning after, when their summer had returned to blue skies and warm sunshine._

XXX

Eventually, summer started to draw to a close. The days were still sunny and warm, but the nights were beginning to get a cool bite to them. Homicide's case rate slowly fell, and they were no longer running two or three (or, at one stage, four) cases at once.

She could feel herself running on empty. The long, hot summer had been tough without Castle's constant presence. It wasn't nearly as bad as the summer previous, but it wasn't great, either.

She had taken to sleeping in one of the button down shirts he'd left at her place, rationalising that the shirt had been there for months, and he hadn't missed it yet. Besides, if she couldn't be in his arms, smelling his unique scent, this was the next best thing. Maybe one day she'd switch it for a different one.

But, she really did love the light green colour.

XXX

_The third weekend she'd spent in the Hamptons, she'd tossed it in her suitcase, thinking she could swap it. Rick had been sitting on their bed, watching as she made her way around the room, unpacking, and spotted it. With a grin, he'd wrapped her in his arms and kissed her soundly._

_And, yeah, maybe that was all she was wearing the night of that thunderstorm._

XXX

"So, summer officially ends in a week and three days. Are you ready for me to be back, following you around all day?"

She nodded, even though she knew he couldn't see her through the phone line. "Yeah, I think I'm forgetting how to give the good glares. Ryan and Esposito just smirk at me now."

"Ouch!" he replied, laughing.

She let out a light laugh, imagining the look on his face. "No, in all seriousness, I am. As much as I'm going to miss our weekend getaways, I'm looking forward to being able to see you pretty much whenever I want."

"You know, Kate, we can always come up here the weekends you're not working. Same as now."

She sighed. "No, I like that it's our special, summer thing. I just wish I were able to spend more than a couple days here and there with you."

"We can change that."

"Mmm?"

"Yeah. How do you feel about spending the last week of August here?"

She sighed. "Oh, that sounds wonderful."

"Really?"

"Yeah. A whole week of doing nothing? I don't think I've spent a whole week doing nothing for my whole career."

"What about when you were shot?"

She waved her hand dismissively. "Doesn't count. I was forced to do that. And, I had rehab."

He chuckled. "So, tomorrow, go in and ask the Captain for a week off. You've been working hard all summer. You definitely deserve it."

So, that was what she did. Captain Montgomery had given her the week off, and she left straight from work on the Friday night, not wanting to waste one minute of her vacation time. Their week was similar to the other times she had been there, only she went to sleep every night knowing that when she left, Rick and Alexis would be leaving, too.

-…-

As the sun had fallen, they'd moved from the deck, to the beach. Over the summer it had become their ritual. When the sun was setting, they would sit wrapped in each other in the sand.

Her back was pressed into his chest, her head resting lightly on his shoulder as he hugged her from behind. She sat in the vee his bent knees made, her hand idly drawing patterns in the sand. Alexis was at the movies with the group of friends she'd made years ago, on their first vacation to the Hamptons. They weren't kids she would usually spend time with, but he knew the importance of having diversity in friendship groups.

"Hey, Kate. Can I ask you something?"

"Mmm, you just did." His fingers dug into her side slightly, and she squirmed. "Okay, Castle. Okay, I give. What did you want to ask me, Rick?"

He lowered his head, so his mouth was near her ear. "Well, you know how we're going home tomorrow?"

She sighed and nodded. "A fact that I still hate, I assure you."

He hummed his agreement. "Well, what if, instead of unpacking in that apartment you occasionally sleep in, you just unpack at mine."

Her breath caught in her chest and she turned her head to look at him. "What?"

He nodded. "You heard me."

"Alexis?"

"Cornered me yesterday. It seems she likes waking up knowing you're there, too."

Kate smiled. "Are you going to ask me properly?"

He chuckled. "I thought you liked the I'm-saying-it-without-saying-it game."

"I do, when Alexis is around and you're trying to be dirty without her radar picking up on it. It's just us here, Rick." She reminded him.

He huffed out a breath. "Fine. Kate, I would very much like it if you were to move in with myself and my daughter. And my mother, when she's there. I want you to move in immediately, as in tomorrow night when we get _home_."

She smiled and lifted her sandy hand to cup his cheek. "Of course, Castle."

He grinned and kissed her softly.

"_Your voice was the soundtrack of my summer. Do you know you're unlike any other? You'll always be my thunder."_


	2. Bright Eyes

_So.. this should have been up TWO DAYS ago, but our computer decided it had a virus, and the internet was disconnected. Which reeeeally sucked, because I'm only just getting to watch 'The Final Nail' now. Thankfully, all is well and fixed and here we are!_

_Thank you to ariel119 for her awesome beta work, once again. _

_There is a flashback incorporated into this one as well, but if I've done my job right it should all make sense in a couple of chapters. I don't think I mentioned this last time, but this is an (almost) proper multi-chapter fic. It's my first attempt. This particular chapter follows on from the first chapter, but is set (maybe) 3-4 months into the future?_

_Aaaanyway, enough of my random chatting. On with the chapter!_

Chapter Two: Bright Eyes

The reading and signing had ended later than expected and he wished he'd insisted on her meeting him there. But he knew her well, and knew she wouldn't. The case they were working was still only in the early stages of investigation, so with an apologetic smile from her, he'd left.

He hated that he couldn't be there to build theory with her and make sure she ate. But, as he stood at the – _their_ – bedroom door, he decided he could forgive both the reading and signing just a little.

She was lying on her stomach on the – _their_ – bed. Head at the foot, one leg bent at the knee, her ankle twisting absently. Her long brown hair was still damp and slightly curly from her shower. She wore a bright green tank and black pyjama pants with electric blue polka dots. She had a case file open and propped on a pillow, her chin resting in her right palm, as the fingers of her left hand lazily twirled a lock of hair.

It was moments like these that Richard Castle realised just how _damn_ lucky he was.

"You're later than I expected," she murmured, not looking up from her reading.

He sighed and shucked his jacket, absently aiming for the overstuffed chair she had brought with her months ago, when she'd unpacked at the loft.

"Yeah, well, _Federal Heat_ is proving to be even _more_ popular than the other Nikki Heat books."

He moved to her, hand resting on her shoulder as he placed a kiss in her hair. Dragging his fingertips across her back, he dropped onto the bed beside her, jostling her papers.

With an eye roll, she closed the file and dropped it on the floor. With the comfort and ease born of hours spent doing nothing and everything together, she reached out a hand and placed it softly on his shin. Patting gently, she turned her head to him.

"I still hate that you called it that."

Eyes closed, he nodded. "I know."

"And that she's naked on the cover."

Again he nodded. "I know."

"People _still_ ask if it's me."

A third nod. "I know."

She opened her mouth to continue, but he beat her to it.

"You hate that, too."

Her eyes sparkled. "I do."

His eyes popped open and fell to hers. "I like those words spilling from your mouth, Detective."

It was her turn to nod. "I know." She smirked and retracted her hand, shifting so now she was lying with her head at the right end. Still on her stomach, she rested a bent arm across his chest and her chin on top of that. Automatically, his hand fell to her lower back, keeping her close as her left hand traced random patterns across his chest.

His eyes followed her hand, transfixed by the diamond holding pride-of-place on her ring finger. After a few minutes' silence, he picked up her hand and kissed her palm softly. His eyes found hers again and he got lost looking in those bright green orbs.

"I can't wait to marry you," he whispered.

She grinned, her eyes rolling playfully. "God, you're so sappy sometimes."

He pouted and faked a wounded look. His long fingers idly stroked her smaller ones.

"It's a good thing I love you, though."

He nodded, his mind drifting back to the night he proposed…

_Fall was coming to an end and as the days grew shorter and the nights grew longer, they found themselves falling more and more in love. They weren't perfect – no two people as stubborn and opposite as them could be – but they worked. Mostly (and usually) their arguments were about trivial things. Who forgot to buy milk? Who left wet towels on the bathroom floor? Who didn't empty the dishwasher?_

_That night it got to be too much. Weeks of tough cases and not enough sleep catching up to her. Functioning almost exclusively on coffee and the occasional breakfast pastry had her nerves frayed. His sudden secrecy and suspicious behaviour did nothing to help that._

_If she were in any way insecure about his feelings and faithfulness, she might have worried that he was stepping out on her. But she knew how he viewed those who cheated – his own heart and first marriage having been broken by one. It still didn't stop her from becoming increasingly frustrated with him._

_It was dark by the time she left the precinct. She had spent hours there, filling out paperwork that had been pushed away when cases had fallen like rain during a summer storm. And though she hated herself for it, she was secretly glad she had that menial job to keep her mind occupied. She knew she was on the verge of lashing out, and she had breathed a sigh of relief when he announced he was going home._

_But, as she pushed the door shut behind her, she felt new feelings of annoyance bubbling up. The entire lower level of the loft was dark. They had an unspoken agreement, which meant at least one lamp would be left on for whoever was arriving after dark._

_From the inky blackness, she could safely assume Alexis was staying at a friend's, because neither she nor he would forgive themselves if the girl came home to the darkness._

_With a frustrated sigh, she lingered there, waiting for her eyes to adjust. She dropped her keys into the bowl on the table by the door and slowly made her way toward the kitchen. She had big plans for the open bottle of wine she knew was in the door._

_Halfway there, she stopped, her eyes drawn to a small candle sitting in a rose-patterned glass holder in the middle of the floor. Frowning, she turned slowly, wondering how she missed the soft, flickering light from her previous position. As she turned back, she saw him trying to stealthily light another, five feet from the first._

"_Rick?"_

_He looked up and grinned sheepishly and she could feel her frustration and annoyance slowly melting away._

"_I meant to have it done before you got home, but I lost track of time writing. It wasn't until I heard your keys in the bowl that I snapped out of my writer's daze."_

_She smiled tiredly and ran a hand through her hair. "I was gearing up to have a mother of a fight with you."_

_He got a confused look on his face and she stepped up to him, placing a hand on his cheek, patting it softly._

"_Turns out I hate 'quiet and sneaky' Rick more than 'annoying and loud' Rick."_

_He chuckled and turned his head, kissing her palm softly. "I'll remind you of that next time you complain about me being 'annoying and loud'."_

_She let her hand drift down to his waist, tugging at his shirt, pulling him close for a hug._

"_Your dad rang," he started softly. He felt her nod her head, before he continued. "He told me to tell you that Becky had a boy; Anthony Sean. I said you'd call him tomorrow sometime."_

_She nodded again and absently kissed his chest, her eyes roaming the shapes in the back room. "Thanks."_

"_Not a problem." His hand drifted up and down her back and she felt him take a deep breath. "I have something for you. A surprise."_

_She groaned. "Is it a giant glass of wine? 'Cause I could really go for one of those right now."_

_He chuckled again and the sound reverberated around her head from the ear she had pressed to his chest._

"_No. But I promise you can have one in a sec. Here." He pulled away and led her past the kitchen to the back room where the gang usually held their poker nights. "Close your eyes." She shot him a look and he grinned. "Just for a moment, please?"_

_Eyeing him warningly, she did as requested. "If you're naked when I open them, Mr. Castle, you will be sleeping on the couch."_

_She heard his light chuckle and wondered when he'd moved so far away from her. After a few moments, she felt him take her hands in his and lead her deeper into the room. The skin on her face felt a steady warmth that hadn't been there only moments ago._

"_Okay, you can open them now." He breathed out and her eyes slowly opened. And when they did, her breath caught._

_Strategically placed candles, like the one on the floor near the kitchen, bathed a soft, flickering glow through the space. The coffee table from her old apartment held two glasses and a cooler with a bottle of wine perched in it._

"_Rick?"_

_He grinned nervously and it occurred to her the only time he had ever looked like that was the first night (nearly a year ago now) that they slept together._

"_Rick?" she asked again, and gasped when he pulled a small, velvet box from his pocket._

"_I thought about the long, clichéd speech about how much you mean to me. About how much I love you. But I decided against it. We wasted so much time dancing around each other and our feelings that I don't want to waste _more _time telling you things I plan on telling you for the rest of our lives."_

_He got down on one knee and opened the box._

"_However, I will say this: I love you, Katherine Louise Beckett and it would give me the upmost pleasure if you agreed to be my wife."_

_In the dimly lit room, down on one knee, the only thing he could focus on was her eyes. The bright sparkle of unshed tears bringing forth all the love and hope he knew she felt, directed straight at him._

_And it was in that exact moment, when she bit her lip and nodded that he knew – _knew_ – he had found it. The one thing he had been searching his entire adult life for._

_The flings and one-night-stands, already meaningless, shifted so far back in importance that they were practically non-existent. He'd need a microscope to see them, their significance was that small._

_It was in that exact moment, when she sunk to her knees in front of him, nodding again, that he realised why 'one-and-done' was so important to her. He knew now that there was no way he could ever feel like this about anyone else._

_And then he realised he hadn't actually asked her. "Will you marry me?"_

_Her tears spilled over and the lump that had blocked her throat moved. "Yes, Rick, yes." She nodded again and pulled him into a kiss._

_When he pulled back, he slipped the ring onto her finger, marvelling again at her bright green eyes. So full of love for him and hope for their future._

"_I love you, too, Rick." She breathed out, before leaning in and kissing him again. All thoughts of wine and arguments were long forgotten as she lost herself in her fiancé._

XXX

"I wish we could go to City Hall tomorrow and get married there. No mess, no fuss. Just you and me."

Ever the voice of reason, she replied, "Alexis would kill us. And Martha. And my dad."

He nodded slowly, a plan forming. "What if we invited just them? We'd need witnesses."

She shook her head. "Not enough notice for my dad to get out of work."

"What if," he saw her eyebrows rise. "Hear me out. What if we picked a date? And we got married here, in the City with just Alexis and our parents there? We could renew our vows on our first anniversary with the others watching?"

She thought for a moment. "So, what date is our anniversary going to be?"

"_And I said, your eyes are the brightest of all the colours"_


	3. No Other

_Firstly: thank you to __ariel119__ for the awesome beta work, once again. Much love to her for that!_

_Secondly: We've skipped forward again. This chapter is set the summer after the previous chapter. So, a whole year since the first chapter. I hope it's not TOO confusing, but bare with me, it'll all be clear by the end (I hope *crosses fingers and toes*)_

_Aaaanyway, onward to the chapter!_

Chapter 3: No Other

She turned the camera around and pointed it at herself. Throwing out an arm, she captured the Detective next to her. "Smile, Kate."

Kate looked up from the veggies she was prepping and smiled. Seconds later, Alexis turned the camera around to show her the shot.

"Gosh, I look so pale next to you."

Kate laughed. "You do not." She held out an arm next the younger woman's. "See? Same colour."

It wasn't entirely true, and they both knew it, but Alexis appreciated the effort, anyway. She played with the settings for a few moments, and then held the camera back in front of her face.

"Hey, Kate?" she started.

When Kate looked up, Alexis hit the shutter. Cocking her head to the side, she frowned. "How do you do it?" she asked quietly.

"What's that, honey?"

Alexis turned the camera around to show the newest picture. "Look like you do, with very little effort."

Kate smiled embarrassedly and shrugged. "Good genes?"

Alexis rolled her eyes in what Kate recognised as an exaggerated version she often gave the girl's father. She smiled. "When you get to my age, you learn to let the little things go."

"But dad always calls you a control freak."

Kate smiled. "And I am, when it comes to work. But, here, with you and your dad and even Martha, I've learnt to relinquish my grasp on the control. I've learnt to relax."

Alexis smiled. "'Cause you're in love with dad?"

"Can I tell you a secret?" Kate asked quietly, eyes dancing with happiness.

Alexis's eyes grew wide and she nodded.

"It's not just your dad I'm in love with."

Alexis beamed and Kate took the camera out of her hands, snapping a photo of the wide smile.

"So, happiness plays a part?"

Kate shrugged. "Being happy helps. If you're happy, smiling and laughter come easier. You dad taught me that. Inadvertently, of course. Before you guys, I thought I was happy. Turns out I was kind of just… being."

Alexis nodded and watched the knife for a minute. "How did you know dad was the one for you? I mean, he always seemed to talk about just how much he annoyed you."

Kate smirked, but continued chopping as she answered. "Your dad kept coming back. No matter how many times I pushed him away. No matter how many times I threatened him and told him to leave me alone, he always came back."

"And the songs made sense!" a voice called from the back deck.

She rolled her eyes and nodded. "He's right. The songs do make sense." She reached out and patted Alexis's hand, frowning a little. "Is everything okay? This is kind of left field, even for us."

Alexis nodded. "Yeah. I was just thinking about Ash and college in the fall. He's going to Berkley and I'm staying in the city… it's a long way."

Kate nodded. She knew Alexis and Ashley had been discussing what they were going to do when summer ended and they went their separate ways. She knew Alexis didn't want to break up with her boyfriend, but on the other side of the country, who knew what could happen?

"You guys still haven't figured it out?"

Alexis shook her head. "No, and its getting too late in the summer, and-"

"And you're worrying that when it comes down to it, you're going to part ways on bad terms." Kate finished, nodding in understanding.

Alexis sighed. "Yes. When you first went to college, did you have to go through this?"

"No. But the summer I went to Kiev I left behind a guy." Her eyes flicked to the open door where she knew Rick would be listening.

Alexis propped her head in a hand. "What happened?"

Kate sighed and shrugged, her eyes going glassy as she remembered. "We decided to stay together. Do the long distance thing. But, three weeks in, I get an email, saying he met someone else."

"Oh."

Kate tossed her head and smiled. "It worked out for the better though. He cheated on me and I fell in love that summer. Obviously, not everlasting love, but by the time I got back all my hurt feelings were gone." She paused. "Didn't stop me from 'accidentally' spilling my beer on him at a Frat party."

Alexis giggled.

"That's a lie, Kate. You've never accidentally done anything your whole life."

She rolled her eyes at Alexis and turned her head to the door. "Well, I certainly didn't intend on falling in love with you."

He walked through the door, thousand-watt charm smile plastered on his face. "No, that was just a happy side effect of my shadowing you." He walked up behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders.

Turning her head enough to see his smirk, she replied, "Alexis was a happy side effect of you shadowing me." Her eyes danced as he stepped back, a hand resting above his heart in what she knew to be his mock-hurt signature.

"I knew it. You only wanted me for my daughter."

Kate shrugged and threw and arm around the girl's shoulder.

Alexis beamed again. "I win."

Rick pouted. "This round, Pumpkin. But it's my bed Kate sleeps in."

Making a show of ignoring him, Kate turned to Alexis. "Wanna have a slumber party in the guest room tonight? I'm sure Lanie won't mind sharing."

"Esposito might." He mumbled.

"Esposito can bunk with you." She shot back.

Alexis snickered at the renewed effort her father put into his pout. "How about next time dad goes on tour, I'll come over and we can camp out in the lounge room and eat bad food and watch bad movies." She paused and tilted her head close to Kate's and whispered loudly, "I don't want to make him cry when all your friends are coming up. If they pick on him, we'll never hear the end of it."

Kate hummed her agreement, before giving Alexis a little squeeze, taking her arm back and returning to chopping the vegies.

Alexis picked up the camera and flicked through the photos, occasionally chuckling and showing the picture to Kate.

Rick stood at the end of the counter and watched them with a small smile.

"Either get back out there and write, Castle, or pick up a knife and help. Do not just stand there and stare."

He watched for a moment longer, then stepped forward and kissed her softly.

"Ew, guys, I know you're in love and everything, but there are children present."

Ricked pulled back and shot Alexis a look, while Kate laughed lightly and offered the girl and apologetic look.

"Thank you."

XXX

"We could have hired someone to do this, you know."

She looked up from the fairy lights she was replacing and smirked. "But, where's the fun in that?"

"There is no fun in _this_, Kate."

She shrugged. "From where I'm sitting, there is."

"How did you untangle those so quickly, anyway?"

She shrugged again. "Magic touch?"

He frowned and bounced on his toes, trying to make the string of lights fall from his body. "'Magic touch' my ass." He mumbled.

"You want me to do what?"

His head snapped up and she had to work hard to keep the amusement off her face.

"I- what? - nothing!"

She bit her lip in that way she knew he found adorable – and irresistible – and stepped up to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and let her hands slip into the back pockets of his shorts. "Oh. 'Cause it sounded like you wanted me to touch your ass." She flexed her fingers, highlighting their current location.

His eyes slipped shut and he let out a little moan. "Kate," he started with a warning tone in his voice. He loved it when she teased him, but this was just ridiculous.

She let her voice drop to that husky whisper she knew drove him crazy. "What? I like your ass."

"And I like yours, too. But my hands are in these stupid lights, and I can't touch _you_."

She kissed his cheek and stepped back. "Probably a good thing. We don't have time for that now."

He growled. "Tease."

Her eyebrow quirked. "Stay wrapped in those and you'll see how much of a tease I can be." She turned toward the house, flicking her long hair over her shoulder. As she walked away, she added a little extra swing to her hips.

"Hey, Lex?" he heard her call when she was in the kitchen. "I need to go into town, do you want to drive?"

XXX

Way back in early October, when he proposed, they had decided if they held an engagement party, they would wait until Alexis had graduated. They were already busy enough with her work, his writing and Alexis's school commitments to really plan anything. So, when they'd announced their engagement, they told their friends and family, that while there was a party on the horizon, they'd be waiting at least until June.

That's why they were up at the Hamptons now. By the time summer had arrived, they were all so wiped from winter, they decided make the Fourth of July weekend _really_ good, and tack their engagement party in with the celebrations.

Really, what was going to be said that they hadn't already heard? Numerous times.

So, late Saturday afternoon she stood in front of the full length mirror in their room, turning left and right, checking to make sure her dress was sitting properly.

"God, you're beautiful." He murmured, coming to stand behind her. His hands automatically fell to her hips and he dropped a kiss on her shoulder.

She tilted her head, allowing him access. "Don't start something you can't finish, Castle." She'd aimed for stern, really she had. But he was doing that thing he did with his tongue that almost made her breathless.

"Oh, trust me; I have every intention of finishing."

His eyes locked on her in the reflection and he saw her link her fingers with his.

"We have guests." She murmured.

"So?"

She rolled her eyes, and then scrunched up her nose. "Castle, Alexis is down there."

"She isn't stupid. She knows we have sex."

"Your mother..." she tried.

"Also knows about the sex. Remember?" he smiled at the faint blush that rose on her cheeks. She could easily recall the night they were busted getting a little hot and heavy on his recliner downstairs. That memory didn't help her blush.

Her eyes danced and she bit her lip, stifling a moan. "My father." She hadn't meant for it to come out so husky.

He dropped his head to her shoulder for a second before stepping back. "Fine. You win."

She smirked and readjusted her dress. "I usually do."

"Only 'cause I let you."

She shot him a look in the mirror and fixed her hair.

His hands rose in surrender. "Okay, _fine_."

She smiled and stepped over to him. "I love you." She whispered, kissing him softly.

He kissed her again quickly. "And I love you. Now, we better get down there before one of those _perverts_ you work with come looking for us."

She slipped her feet into her flats and took his hand. "You work with them too. And, really, would you expect anything less?"

"No, I guess not."

Kate smiled at him over her shoulder. "Huh, look at that. I win again."

He dropped his head and dragged his feet, thoroughly enjoying the sound of her laughter.

"_I don't wanna ever love another"_

_(give us a shout if its ridiculously confusing, and I'll try and clear it up for you =D)_


	4. Forever

_Okay. So.. I warn you, this is quite fluffy. Also, there's quite a leap from chapter 3 to this chapter. Once again I hope it isn't too confusing, but I promise it'll make sense eventually._

_Thank you, as always, to __ariel119__ for the beta work._

_For Mandi, happy birthday!_

Chapter Four: Forever

Summer faded into fall, which blew into a winter full of snowstorms as early as the first of December. Some days were so cold that Castle actually opted to stay home and write. He hated that he wasn't there for parts of cases, but he was further along in Nikki Heat's latest adventure than originally planned. So far along, in fact, that he was quietly optimistic that he would have the first draft finished before their vow renewal/wedding.

He only hoped that he could continue to ignore his 'toys'. He didn't need the distraction his remote controlled helicopter and PS3 offered. Kate could be distraction enough.

It had taken three days of quiet arguments at the precinct and the loft, but they had finally decided on a date for the City Hall Marriage. With Alexis being away at school, they had to wait until her next break. So, they had a general time frame; two weeks either side of Christmas. It worked out well, seeing as their anniversary wedding could be held somewhere where the snow covered the ground in a flurry of white; not the murky brown of the city.

Though reluctant to admit it, even to him, Rick knew that Kate loved winter. She loved the white snow covering everything, and snuggling on the couch with a good book and a roaring fire. She loved snowmen and snow angels and snowball fights. He knew that the snow always reminded her of spending time at her mother's parent's house up north. He knew that her Grandpa Lou had taught her how to make those _killer_ snowballs.

He knew, above all, that she loved sitting by the window at night, watching the snow glitter as it fell through the beams the lights of the city provided. How many times had he come out of his study and found her just sitting there, staring? How many times had he joined her? Squeezing in behind her and holding her close, whispering into her ear all his hopes for their future together…

XXX

She'd managed to finish all her paperwork early, for a change. It was one of those days where he stayed home – a curse disguised as a blessing. He went out of his way to distract her when he was there, and she had found that her mind constantly drifted to him when he _wasn't_.

Thankfully today (a week before Christmas) had been more blessing than curse and she had found herself gathering her things together as the clock chimed 5.

"Hot date with writer-boy, Beckett?" questioned Esposito, relaxing back in his desk chair.

"Man, Espo, writer-_man_," she corrected absently, untangling her scarf and knit-cap from the coat rack. "If I'm lucky, he'll have been too busy writing to realise the time. I did tell him I'd be home fairly early, providing we didn't have a case."

Esposito snickered. "No chance. Man's got a radar for you."

"Then hopefully he'll have a glass of wine waiting for me."

"Dinner on the table the second you walk through the door?"

Knowing he was teasing, she smirked. "Now, that really would be some kind of luck." She offered a little wave as she headed out of the bullpen.

Turns out, he almost had had dinner on the table. Realising she would be home before 6, he'd ordered pizza and she crossed paths with the delivery boy as she entered the building.

"Oh, something smells good."

"Hey, you're early. I ordered for you. Here." He helped her out of her coat as she helped herself to a slice.

"Told you I would be if no cases dropped. I even finished all my paperwork." She took a bite. "Mm and the boys say 'hey'," she finished around the bite of pizza in her mouth.

He waved over his shoulder as he came back to her, now sitting on her usual stool, picking pizza toppings off and dropping them back in the box. She insisted on sharing pizza with him, but always picked off half the top.

He chuckled lightly and kissed her cheek, moving around to stand on the opposite side of the counter. "So, guess what?"

She looked up from the slice she was disassembling. "What?"

He grinned. "I've almost finished the book."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"Yep."

"_Blinding Heat_ only came out three months ago."

He nodded. "I had most of the plan written for this one before I'd even finished _Blinding Heat_."

She smiled. "Congratulations, Hon."

"Thanks."

"Do you have a name?"

He shook his head. "No, not yet. It's come full circle, so its summer again. I was kind of thinking _Electric Heat_." He hesitated. She hated it when he dropped hints about the plot. "So, spoiler alert?"

She rolled her eyes and nodded.

"The first murder takes place during a thunderstorm. Nikki and Rook discover the second body during one. And something else that I haven't quiet nutted out happens during another. _Electric_, see?"

She nodded and took a bite, chewing slowly as she mulled over his 'spoilers'. "Is she going to be naked again?"

He grinned and nodded. "Remember the _Heat Wave_ cover?" she nodded. How could she forget? "Well, I was thinking something like that, but with a lightning bolt behind her. Maybe."

"I'm proud of you for working so hard. Who knew?"

He smiled at her softly and her heart melted. "I had incentive." His eyes got that tender look she would never get tired of seeing, as he leaned across the counter and played with the ring on her finger. "I wanted it done before our anniversary so I wouldn't be distracted as I found new ways to ravish you."

He looked up at her through his lashes and she had to bite her lip in an effort to control her desires.

"I love you," she whispered.

He grinned. "I love you too."

XXX

The weak winter's rays did everything they could to light the day, but it was to no avail. Grey clouds had moved in just before Christmas and, five days after, they still hadn't moved out. Not that the clouds would affect the 'wedding', but Kate had been secretly hoping for a little ray of sunshine.

She ran her fingers through the silky red hair in her lap. Though Alexis was closing in on twenty, they had often spent lazy Saturdays in exactly this position. Kate sitting at one end of the couch, feet propped on the coffee table, while Alexis stretched out. Sometimes they watched movies, sometimes they read and sometimes they just chatted. It was their 'thing' and they loved it.

"Hey, Kate?"

"Yeah, honey?"

"Are you… is everything okay?"

"What? Of course! Why?"

"It's just… your fingers kind of stop sometimes, like you're thinking really hard about something."

Kate smiled though the girl couldn't see. "I was. I was thinking about you, actually. And my mom."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I was just thinking how much she would have loved you."

Alexis smiled. She didn't know a great deal about Johanna Beckett, but she liked what little she did know. "If you're anything like her, Kate, I'm sure I would have loved her, too."

"I love you, too, Lex. Wanna know what else I was thinking?"

"I'm not sure. The anniversary wedding _is_ tomorrow."

Kate laughed lightly, her fingers still combing softly. "I was thinking that it really sucks that my mom will never get to see me get married. But, in some twisted way, it's because of that, that I _am_ getting married."

Alexis rolled over and shot Kate a confused and shocked look. "What?"

Kate nodded. "Think of it this way: if my mom were alive, we probably wouldn't be here, now. I wouldn't have become a cop. I wouldn't have met your dad. I wouldn't be hours away from marrying him, again. I wouldn't be hours away from becoming _your_ step-mom, again."

"We could be."

Kate shrugged. "Maybe. But I'd probably be teaching English somewhere."

"Oh, and that's how you and dad would have met. You could have been my English teacher in, like, tenth grade."

"Tenth grade?"

"Well, it took you two _three_ years to get together. I was in tenth grade when you met. So, following the timeline to get from then 'til now…"

Kate laughed again and nodded. "I see your point. You still good with the extra-curricular tutoring?"

Alexis nodded. "I really think it's helping."

Kate shrugged. "You didn't need help to begin with. Just direction."

"I don't know where your patience comes from."

"Dealing with your father."

They lapsed into silence and Kate resumed running her fingers through the younger woman's hair.

"Hey, Kate?'

"Yeah, Lex?"

"I'm glad that you and dad are getting married, again, tomorrow."

"Oh, honey, you have no idea."

XXX

"I promise to love you and cherish you. To protect you and defend you. To get you out of jail, to fight with you and for you, because the songs will forever make sense."

He smiled as her slightly shaking hand slipped his wedding band over his finger. He repeated her words, fascinated by the sparkle that had moved into her eyes sometime over the previous three years, and pushed her ring over her knuckle.

"If anyone has any objections to this union, speak now or forever hold your peace."

The ballroom was so quiet; if a pin dropped it would echo.

"Alright. With the power vested in me by the State of New York, I pronounce you husband and wife." He paused for a second, enjoying the glow of the smiles from the two people in front of him.

"You may now kiss the bride."

The ballroom erupted in cheers and immature catcalls as his hands drifted down her arms so he could link their fingers as they kissed. When it broke, he rested his forehead against hers, their eyes meeting as they tried to catch their breath.

"I love you, wife," he whispered.

She smiled. "I love you, too, husband. So much."

"_You'll always be my thunder"_


	5. Rain

_**A/N:**__ Back when I first started writing 'Thunder' I didn't have much of a plan. All I knew was that I wanted to use the lines of the chorus. It took until I started writing this chapter for me to figure out what I wanted. Kind of._

_This is the stuff that's missing (in other words, I forgot to put in) from pervious chapters. It connects the dots, so to speak. They're all flashbacks. BUT (!) they are in chronological order. That's a win._

_Thank you once again, __ariel119__ for being a damn fine beta (also, I hope your hand gets better soon!)_

_Enough out of me, read on..._

Chapter Five: Rain

"I can't believe you guys are doing this!" exclaimed Alexis in an excited whisper, as she walked with her arm linked through Kate's.

She smiled nervously at the teen. "Neither can I, honey."

Martha smiled. "The heart wants what the heart wants, kiddo."

Kate and Rick's eyes met as they remember Rick saying those exact words almost two years ago. Even now she wondered how she'd managed to miss that he had been speaking in 'double meaning's.

"This is so _exciting_! Oh, but, Kate? What about your dad?" Alexis asked as they rounded the final corner. They hadn't told her their exact plans until they were stepping out of the town car in front of the Hall. All they had told her was to keep the day free.

Kate smiled and pointed. Her dad sat on one of the benches. His knees were spread, elbows resting on them slightly, hands clasped, eyes fixed blankly at his feet. He didn't even hear them walk up, and he jumped slightly when Kate tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey, Daddy," she murmured, waiting for him to stand so she could pull him into a hug.

"Oh, Katie," he whispered, holding her close.

They parted, and he offered a hand. "Richard."

"Hello, Mr. B. You remember my mother, Martha. And Alexis of course." He gestured to the two women standing slightly behind him.

"Of course." He grinned as Alexis stepped forward and wrapped him in a hug. "How could I forget such a delightful young woman?" he asked. Before Richard Castle had come along, he had seriously considered the fact that he would never have the chance to spoil grandchildren. And while Alexis wasn't blood, after the two previous Christmases and Thanksgivings, he had discovered he had fallen for his daughter's pseudo-daughter. After today, she would be her step-daughter; his step-granddaughter.

He loved it.

"Martha, enchanting as always," he commented as they shared light kisses on the cheek. He had originally been thrown by the level of affection the two had shown him, but he soon came to realise that it was their way.

Rick wrapped an arm around Kate's shoulders and nodded toward the door. "Shall we?"

Kate took a deep breath and nodded. "Let's go."

…

When they had sat down to plan how exactly they were going to pull this wedding off, they had discussed clothes. They had argued over what kind of dress Kate would wear. He had stood firm in the belief that as it was their wedding, she should wear white. Kate had pulled a face, pointing out that nothing about their relationship had been conventional, not even their nuptials, so she wasn't going to conform. For two straight days they had snipped at each other. Eventually he had asked her what she _wanted_ to wear, and she'd pulled a dress out of the back of the closest.

The dress was a midnight blue, with bright purple stitching. It had a slit up her left thigh that opened slightly when she walked, and a light purple underside could be glimpsed.

After seeing it, Rick had pulled out his favourite black slacks, with a matching jacket, and a dark purple shirt with mauve pinstripes. The purple had seemed like an odd choice for the two of them at first, but when they stood in front of the full length mirror that morning, they couldn't imagine being in anything else.

"Richard Castle and Katherine Beckett?" asked the receptionist, to which they nodded, before being led through to a small waiting room. Though the room was small, compared to the streets and the hallways, it was as warm as the middle of summer.

"The judge will be with you in a moment," she said, before heading back to her desk.

Minutes later, a balding man entered from another door. "Hello there. I'm judge Marka- Hey. I know you." His eyes nearly popped out of his head. He looked at his papers for a few seconds, before looking up again. "What the hell are you two doing here?"

Rick grinned.

"I was told I had a marriage to perform, but surely you would at least have half the Twelfth here."

"Just us." Kate said with a small smile and a slight shrug.

"You finally got him to agree to simple?"

She shook her head. "Actually, this was all Castle's idea."

"No..." he said in disbelief. The whole group nodded. "Well, then, let's get this underway." He ushered them through the door he had emerged from, and waved them into seats as he took his own behind his desk. Pulling a file folder closer, he flipped it open and looked up at them again. "I never would have dreamed that you two, of all people, would get married in a dingy room at City Hall." His eyes fell to the paper in front of him and he had to suppress a chuckle. Their names were clearly written across the top. This was exactly why he was supposed to read these things first thing in the morning.

"Okay, witnesses?"

"Martha Rogers; mother of the groom."

"James Beckett; father of the bride."

"Alexis Castle; daughter of the groom."

Markaway nodded, then frowned at Alexis's name. "We only need two."

"We wanted Alexis on the paperwork, too. I'm not just marrying her father; I'm instilling myself into her life as well."

Markaway nodded and scribbled on the paper. "We'll sign these in a few minutes. Step this way, please." He indicated to a corner of his office, where a lectern was set up. He positioned Castle and Beckett in front of it, with their respective parents behind and a little to the side. Alexis stood in line with her grandmother and almost step-granddad, but in the middle of the bride and groom. Markaway stepped behind the lectern, flipped the pages of a book in front of him, and began.

"We are gathered here today to witness the lawful joining of this man and this woman, into holy matrimony."

Because of the nature of their wedding, they had forgone writing their own vows, saving them for the wedding they would have on their anniversary. With so much tradition already lost, they wanted something they could say was completely unoriginal.

"Do you, Richard Castle, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold through sickness and health, until death do you part?"

He nodded and squeezed her hands gently. "I do."

"And do you, Katherine Beckett, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband. To have and to hold, through sickness and health, until death do you part?"

Her lip quivered slightly and Rick could see the unshed tears sparkling in her eyes. "I do."

"Do you have rings?"

Rick nodded and turned to Alexis, who held her hand out, palm up. He took the smaller of the two and held it to Kate's finger. He looked into her eyes as he repeated Markaway's words, then gently pushed the cool band over her knuckle.

Kate's voice wobbled as she spoke the words she had heard from his mouth only seconds before, and she had to bite down on her lip when she slipped the silver band onto his finger.

"With the power vested in me by the State of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride." He smirked slightly, knowing that it was definitely Kate who wore the pants in the relationship, but Rick who was sporting them that day.

And then, he sighed. Their kiss was slow and soft and full of a sweetness he didn't know either possessed, but imagined was only ever presented in front of the other guests. For all the marriages he had preformed, and all the ones he would in the future, he could safely say this was the one that was going to last.

…

The five of them sat around the table at the loft, sipping coffees and munching on cookies and cupcakes. They had decided to head back there for a little while, before going out to dinner together.

"Dad, what are you going to do when you go into the precinct? Aren't you keeping today a secret?"

He grinned at his daughter and gently reached over to Kate. He pulled the thin chain that housed her mother's ring out from her dress. "Kate's going to wear it on her chain. Safe keeping," he said with a wink.

Alexis nodded slowly and turned to Kate.

"I'm going to wear mine. My engagement ring takes all the attention, anyway." She rolled her eyes at the younger woman with a small smile.

"What about next year, when you get married again?" they had explained their plans for their anniversary as they left City Hall.

Kate smiled. "We got them engraved, see?" she tugged her ring off her finger and turned it so Alexis could see the writing. "So, while everyone will think next year's the _real_ thing, we'll have today's date hidden from them."

"Are you guys going to be able to keep it a secret?"

Kate shrugged. "Who knows? But I'm up for the challenge."

"Fifty dollars says Richard opens his mouth first," muttered Martha.

Jim raised an eyebrow when Alexis shot out a hand to shake. "I'll be in on that."

Rick pouted. "Why does everyone always bet against me?"

Kate smiled and affectionately patted his cheek. "Because we all know a nine-year-old can't keep his mouth shut."

XXX

"Kate! Alexis! Hurry up! We're going to be late!" he shouted from the bottom of the stairs. When he didn't get a response, he frowned and turned to find his mother trying to hide a smile from him. "What is so funny mother?"

Martha shook her head and sipped her ice-tea. "Nothing, dear."

He eyed her for a moment, before turning back to the stairs. Opening his mouth to shout again, he heard his mother chuckling. "Seriously, mother, either let me in on the joke or stop."

Martha sighed. "Give them a few minutes. This is a big day for them."

"And me too! She's my baby girl."

"And if it were anyone else, I'd agree with you. But its Kate, darling. She knows exactly what Alexis is going through, and she knows how to calm her."

"Just last night they were telling me _I_ had to be ready in time, and not make them wait. And now," he waved his hand toward the stairs. "I graduated high school, too. I know how big this day is."

"Were you a girl when you graduated?"

"No, but-"

Martha raised a hand, effectively silencing him. "Then you don't understand. Just leave them be."

"If I 'leave them be' much longer, Alexis is going to have to wait until next year to get her diploma."

"So dramatic, Richard." She didn't mention that the three of them had gone around the loft the day before and moved all the clocks forward five minutes. "They won't be- oh." Martha sighed with a small grin and clasped her hands together.

Kate walked down the stairs in a deep green, short sleaved wrap around dress. The hem skimmed her knees, showing off her long legs, accentuated by the silvery heeled sandals on her feet. She smiled at him and tucked a piece of her long wavy hair behind her ear, then patted him on the chest. "Lex'll be down in a minute. She's just putting her shoes on. What?" she finished, raising an eyebrow.

His eyes roamed her body even as he shook her head. "You just look so… wow."

She smiled, with a twinkle in her eyes. "Just wait til you see your daughter." Her eyebrows lifted slightly, a sure indication that she was teasing him about _something_. She kissed his cheek and moved away to the counter. Martha gave her hand a small squeeze as they sat side-by-side, waiting for the girl of the moment to emerge.

And, finally, she did.

Kate and Alexis had spent hours of the past week going over hair styles. Alexis didn't want to simply leave her hair down, but she knew her cap was bound to squish an up-do. They had flipped through magazines and even Kate's own graduation photos, before finally settling on a 'do'.

Kate had braided the hair along both sides of Alexis's head, meeting in the middle at the back, where she'd fused the two into one long braid. She'd curled random locks, knowing anything more would fall out of shape in a matter of hours. At least if the curls fell out, they wouldn't look limp against the backdrop of dead straight hair.

Along with the hours spent debating hair, Alexis had also stressed over what she was going to wear. Eventually Rick had given Kate his platinum AmEx and kicked them (along with Martha) out of the loft, telling them not to return until his little girl had a dress. Alexis had refused to show him, and Kate and Martha had refused to blab, so as his baby walked down the stairs he was only just seeing the result of that Saturday afternoon trip.

And, by God, was it an amazing result.

The palest of yellows and strapless, the hem skimmed the ground. Her kitten-heel sandals were mostly hidden, but every so often a sparkle of gold caught his eye. Her strawberry-blonde locks fell over one shoulder, and she smiled shyly when she felt his eyes on her.

"Oh, Pumpkin," he murmured, holding out a hand for her as she stepped off the final stair.

With her hand still in her father's, she did a little twirl. "You like, Daddy?"

Rick nodded and his eyes flicked to his mother and his wife. He mouthed a 'thank you' to them, before his eyes fell on to his daughter.

XXX

"You ready for tomorrow?" she asked softly. Her head rested in _that_ spot where his shoulder met his chest. Her left hand rested above his heart, her fingertips tapping out an unknown tune.

He sighed and ran his fingers through her hair. "Yes and no." Pause. "You?"

She chuckled lightly and kissed his chest. "Yes and no." They lapsed into silence for a few minutes. "It's okay to want her to _not_ go," she whispered.

"What?"

She twisted so she was lying on her stomach, her chin cupped in her right hand, and nodded. "No one, certainly not I nor Martha nor Alexis, would think any less of you. It's completely understandable. It was the two of you for so long."

He nodded. "But I can't keep her locked up here."

"No." She shook her head.

"I should be thankful she's staying in the country."

She nodded.

"On the east coast."

She nodded.

"Tri-state."

Another nod and a tiny smirk.

"New York State."

She rolled her eyes, but nodded.

"The City."

"Okay. Enough."

He chuckled. "Sorry."

She kissed him softly. "It's okay. She's not _that_ far away. And, depending on which side of the street she's on, _technically_ she'll be within the twelfth's borders."

His eyes widened. "So, _technically_, you could station unis at the school?"

"_Technically_ speaking, yes. If they're on the north side."

"So-"

"No." One head shake.

"You cou-"

"Nope." One head shake.

"But-" Puppy dog eyes.

"Stop, okay? No."

He sighed. "Too far?"

One nod. "Just a little." She held her pointer finger and thumb barely a centimetre apart, squinting slightly. "But, I'm not opposed to the _occasional_ drive by. And by occasional I mean once a month. _Maybe_. If we're out that way."

"Really?"

She nodded and rolled her eyes yet again. "_Really_, really."

"God, I love you." His hand cupped her cheek and he tugged her gently forward, capturing her lips in a sweet kiss.

"I love you, too," she whispered in reply, before kissing him again, and rolling them so he was on top.

XXX

"Hey." He murmured so as to not scare her and placed a mug on her desk, then sunk into his chair.

"Hey yourself. What are you doing here?" She closed her eyes and rubbed her temple. "Sorry, this case…"

He nodded in understanding. "I missed you."

At ten at night, the bullpen was relatively empty, save for the night shift crew and a few day shift stragglers. Like herself.

"Where are the other two?" he tilted his head to the joined desks ten feet away.

"Sent them home at eight. There's no use in the three of us being exhausted tomorrow."

"What about you?"

"'What about me' what? I'm a big girl, Rick, I can look after myself."

He sighed. "That's not what I-"

"I know it's not, but I know what I'm doing."

"How can you- Never mind." She'd shot him a look that had him back-pedaling faster than an Olympic back-stroker.

"I'm not going to have this fight with you, _again_, Rick."

"I know, I know. I'm just… I worry, Kate. When I'm not here, I worry. Is that so wrong?"

"No, but when you second guess me, it feels like you don't trust me. And we've come too far and worked too hard for you to _not_ trust me now."

He reached out and took her hand, his thumb running gently over her fingers. "I do trust you. With everything."

She nodded and turned her hand so she could clasp his. "So, I enjoyed 'self-imposed-desk-duty' for most of today," she said quietly, watching their fingers twist around each other.

He sucked in a breath sharply. "What?"

She nodded and met his gaze. "I only went to the scene after it was cleared. Lanie's suspicious, but the boys don't seem to be."

"'Self-imposed'? You didn't even tell Roy. Uh, the Captain?"

She shook her head. "Not without you."

Sitting up straighter, he looked to the door on the other side of the pen. "I'm here, can we tell him now?"

She shook her head with a small smile. "No, he left an hour ago. First thing, I promise."

He sunk into his seat with a pout, but nodded, his fingers still twisted around hers.

XXX

"'_Castle (Beckett)_  
_Rick and Kate are pleased to announce the safe arrival of Rebecca Louise Castle. Born Feb. twenty-fourth at six-oh-nine a.m. Baby sister to Alexis, second granddaughter to Martha and first to Jim. Mother and child doing perfectly.'_ It then goes on to thank nurses and doctors and the hospital."

"We should cut it out and post it on the board."

"Ryan, everyone of importance already _knows_."

"But she's the first girl."

"So?"

"If it were my daughter, I'd want it up."

"Yes, I know. You got me to put up the notices for the boys."

"I was excited."

"Beckett would hate it."

"She won't know. By the time she gets back to work it'll be covered." He paused. "So, no harm done." He nodded once, having proved his point.

"She'll still know."

"How?"

"Bro, haven't you learned by now that Beckett knows _everything_?"

"She didn't know about you and Lanie hooking up."

Eye roll. "She was on her honey-moon, and Lanie told her the moment she got back, anyway."

Ryan scowled. "I still think-"

"No, dude. No."

Ryan huffed and snatched up the paper. "Oh, hey. There's one from us."

"Huh?"

"Yeah. _'Congrats to Beckett and Castle on the safe arrival of Rebecca Louise. Love, the twelfth.'_ Wonder who put that in?"

Esposito shrugged. "Probably the Captain. He did it for Pat and Sean."

Ryan grinned. "He's such a softy."

Esposito nodded absently as he went back to scrolling through their vic's phone records. "Hey, bro? I think I got somethin'. Does this name look familiar?"

Ryan squinted at the name. "Yeah." He said slowly, mentally going over everyone they'd interviewed earlier that week. He snapped his fingers. "Brother-in-law."

Esposito sighed. "Let's roll. Man, I really hate it when people waste our time."

Ryan nodded in agreement and tossed the paper back on Beckett's desk. "Just once, I'd love it if we got the truth straight up."

Esposito snickered. "Man, hell'd freeze over before that happened."

"That's what you said about Beckett and Castle gettin' together. Now look where they are." Esposito tipped his head in acknowledgement. "And anyway, let it freeze. It'd be too hot there."

Esposito laughed and wandered toward the elevator, waiting for his partner to catch up.

XXX

"Where is she? What happened? How- when-"

"Dude, calm down. She's gonna be okay."

"She is?"

Esposito nodded. "She is. Look, I'll tell you everything, but you gotta sit."

Castle nodded dumbly and sat. "Okay. From the beginning?"

Esposito nodded again. "Remember the Medina case, years ago now, when you thought you were cursed?"

Castle scowled and nodded.

"Well, we went into this abandoned warehouse…"

Castle listened as Esposito talked him through the raid. How it had all gone smoothly until the very last second, when their perp – "_skell,_" Ryan had interjected – came from behind. She hadn't been quick enough, none of them had, and she was in the middle of their line. She was the easiest shot.

"Lucky he couldn't hit a ten-ring the size of Texas. From what I could tell, the bullet clipped the bottom of her vest, before getting her about here." He indicated his lower belly and Castle's heart sunk.

They hadn't told anyone, but they were trying for another baby. Well, more specifically, they weren't trying to _prevent_ another baby.

"Doc said they'd be able to get it out and she'd be right in a few weeks."

Castle sighed and slumped back in his chair. The one day in two-and-a-half years that he hadn't followed her.

He was clearly her good luck charm.

"Uh, Detective Beckett?"

Castle's head shot up. "That's- She's my wife."

The Doc nodded and stepped over. "Dr. Richmond."

They shook hands as he mumbled, "Richard Castle."

"Your wife is going to be fine, Mr. Castle. The bullet didn't penetrate far, probably because of her vest, but also because of the angle at which she was shot. She's in recovery now. She'll be sore for a few days and will most likely need a month or so off, but other than that she'll be good as new."

Castle nodded as his eyes filled with tears of relief.

"Oh, there is one other thing. While we were running her blood before the op., we noticed an anomaly."

'_Oh. Fuck.'_

"So, we ran some more tests. We discovered your wife is two-and-a-half months pregnant. Congratulations, Dad."

Castle head spun. "And- And the baby?"

"Perfectly healthy. We'll want to keep her in for a few days, just for observation, but both are well on their way."

"Does Kate know?"

The Doc shook his head. "No, she was out of it on morphine. We can tell her if you like? But I assume you would want to?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I'd like to. Is she awake? Can I see her now?"

"She's still asleep, but I can take you to her room. Right this way." The Doc led him through the doors. It wasn't until her head the muffled 'oof' from one of the boys that he realised they were behind him.

"When she wakes she'll be a little dopey, but she will be fine."

"Thank you, Dr. Richmond." Castle offered the doctor his hand as they stood outside Kate's room.

"Not a problem, Mr. Castle. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. Just, make sure you ask for _Max_ Richmond. There's another Dr. Richmond on the floor tonight."

Castle nodded and watched the good Doctor walk away before giving a slight nod to the two detectives and quietly slipping into his wife's room.

"_So bring on the rain…"_


	6. Thunder

_This is the last chapter. I'm not sure if I'm happy or sad about that. But here it is, all the same. _

_We've skipped on from all those flashbacks in the previous chapter, so we're somewhere in the future..._

_Thanks, once again, to __ariel119__ for her wonderful beta work (I'm pretty sure I got everything...)_

Chapter Six: Thunder

He sat at the end of the bed, legs spread and leaning back on his palms, watching. He could watch her for hours, and over the years had proven it. Hours at the precinct. Hours in the car. Hours at home.

Hours.

While he knew after a time she would eventually snap at him, this was the one place she never did. Here, in their bedroom, was the one place he could actually get away with it. And he loved it.

He loved how she never bothered with clothes, just a bra and panties as she fixed her hair and makeup. His eyes always followed her hands as she slowly rubbed the cherry scented moisturiser into her skin. He never missed the way her eyes scrunched at the corners and her nose wrinkled as she twisted the curling rod, or snagged a strand of hair with her straightening irons.

He appreciated every single inch of her creamy white skin. He loved it, and her, and he knew that she knew. And he loved that most of all.

XXX

"Do it again, Dweeb, and I'll kick your ass so hard you won't be able to sit right 'til your hundredth birthday." Muttered words floated across the lounge room of the loft, eyes deftly focussed on the book inches away, in her lap.

A dark-haired boy smirked, his hazel-green eyes alight with mischief. He fingered the laser gun and aimed away from her. He let his finger rest below the trigger, knowing it wouldn't make a sound without his other hand in position, anyway.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as she relaxed back into the chair. Her legs hung off one side, her back pressed into the opposite arm, her head casually resting on the back. She was completely lost in her book, once again.

What was so special about Harry-bloody-Potter anyway?

He bit his bottom lip and slowly swung the laser gun in her direction. If she looked up now, he'd be busted and he wouldn't have this last shot. Lining the gun up single-handedly, he waited. He watched her turn the page, sent up a quick prayer, and shot.

The sudden whirring made her scream in shock and she dropped the book. With her eyes narrowed, she looked up to see him halfway across the room.

"Ooh, I am going to _kill_ you, Dweeb!"

"Gotta catch me first, Becks!" he called back, taking the stairs two at a time.

"Urgh!" she growled, picking the book up and placing it on the coffee table. She knew exactly where he would hide, the theatre room upstairs. He would squirm in between two of the reclining chairs for a good hour or so, when he knew the fight would be out of her, and revenge would be petty.

But not that night.

They had plans. And they were leaving in fifteen minutes. Besides, if there was one thing their mother had taught her, it was patience.

Smirking, she picked the book back up and sank back into the confines of the chair, and Harry Potter's fight for survival in an overgrown maze.

XXX

When the loft was as quiet as it was now, she knew something was 'up'. There was no music coming from down the hall. No conversation floating up the stairs. The sounds of gun-games on the PS3 (that usually drove her crazy) were suspiciously silent. Not even the TV in the lounge was on, providing soothing background noise. So she had an inkling, which historically proved her right, that a quiet loft meant something was 'up'.

"Honey?" she questioned, body and face still pointed at the mirror, mascara wand in hand.

"Yeah, Babe?" An answer from the bedroom meant that he, at least, wasn't involved in whatever schemes the other two were cooking up.

"Can you please make sure Max's okay with his suit?"

"Sure." He didn't move, thoroughly enjoying the view in the bathroom.

"And that Becks is getting ready, and not lost in a book?"

He nodded. "Mmm-hmm."

She glanced at the corner of the mirror where she could see the end of their bed. She rolled her eyes. "Honey?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm enjoying the view. Far more important than making sure those two monkeys are where they're supposed to be."

She turned and shot him a look.

"Okay, okay. I'm going." He pushed himself off the bed and took two steps toward the bedroom door. He paused, turned, and ran his eyes over her body. "Please don't get dressed before I get back."

She rolled her eyes again, but nodded. "Hurry or we'll be late."

He gazed at her for a second longer, and then pulled the door open.

"Hey, monkey children!" she heard him call. "Mama's nearly ready, so you two better be. If you're not-"

She heard his voice trail off and imagined him walking down the stairs.

Rolling her eyes for the third time in as many minutes, she leant toward the mirror to finish applying her makeup.

XXX

"Hey Munchkin, where's your brother?"

She didn't even bother looking up from her book as she shrugged. "How should I know where the little dweeb is?"

"Don't call him a dweeb."

"Why? It's true."

"'Cause, it's like calling _me_ a dweeb!"

In a perfect imitation of her mother, she rolled her eyes. "But, Daddy, you _are_ a dweeb," she replied.

He nodded. "Well played. Don't let your mother hear you calling him that. I can protect you from many, many things. But I think I'm more afraid of her than you are."

She smiled and turned her blue eyes to him. "I think he's in the theatre room, practicing with his stupid gun."

He smiled. "Like he's witnessed his older sister and mom do a hundred thousand times."

"Shut up, Dad." She kicked him gently.

"You ready?"

"Mmm-hmm. Just waiting for you and Mom." She held up the book, to which he nodded in understanding.

"And Max?"

"Suited up and looking very dapper… when he puts the gun down."

He grinned. "We'll be leaving soon. Mom's just got to put her dress on. Make sure you've got everything – including your brother – while I go help her zip."

She pulled a face, but closed the book. "Only 'cause I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, Munchkin."

He kissed her forehead and followed at a leisurely pace as his daughter raced up the stairs, calling for her brother.

XXX

"Do we _really_ have to walk the red carpet?"

"Yes, honey, we _really_ do."

"Will Gram and Lex be there?"

"Gram, yes. Lex, maybe. She wasn't sure if she could get the night off."

"Boss works her too hard." Rick mumbled.

Kate rolled her eyes and swatted his chest. "Castle!"

Rick opened his mouth to retort, but Max spoke first. "Mama, why do you call dad 'Castle'? It's his last name, like us." He waved at the gap between himself and his sister. "Not his first. His first name is 'Rick'."

Rick's eyebrow raised and he met his wife's eyes. Rebecca smirked. She knew the answer to this, like she knew the answer to how many books her father had written (57, in case you were wondering).

"Because, baby, when your dad and I first met he used to follow me everywhere and annoy me."

"_Everywhere_? Like the bathroom?"

"Once," she answered with a nod.

"Why?"

Kate looked to Rick as he answered. "Because, Squirt, your mama was so beautiful, that I just couldn't take my eyes off her."

"_Was_? Dad, have you looked at Mama tonight? She is still beautiful," Max informed him as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"And you still can't take your eyes off her," added Rebecca.

"Oh, thank you, baby." Kate kissed her son's cheek and shared a look with her daughter, before her gaze shifted to her husband, waiting to see what his retort would be.

"Mama is _always_ beautiful to me. But if I look at her too much, she gets embarrassed and tells me it's creepy."

"Mama?" Max turned his big blue eyes to her, a cute questioning expression on his face.

Kate nodded. "It's true, Maxie-boy. Would _you_ like it if dad stared at you all the time?" She smiled as Rick leant forward, his eyes wide, and gazed at their son.

Max shook his head. "No. Dad, stop! Mama's right, it _is_ creepy."

Rebecca nodded. "Mom's always right, isn't she dad?"

Rick squirmed in his seat. "Mostly."

Rebecca smirked. "Lex says that if Mom had a dollar for every time she was right, she'd be able to buy you out."

"Your sister needs to watch what she says."

Rebecca shrugged. "Gram agrees."

"Of course she does."

"Hey, look, we're here."

The limo pulled up to the exclusive club where the most recent (and final) Nikki Heat book was being launched. When Kate had fallen pregnant with Rebecca, he took time out from shadowing and writing until their little girl was 8. But he had always known that he would have to finish the story; he knew his readers needed closure. As it turned out, this book averaged the number out to one book for every two years he'd known Detective Kate Beckett. He knew he could have written a million more, but as much as he loved Nikki, Rook and Roach, it was time to move on.

Nikki and Rook had finally settled into a somewhat steady relationship. They weren't married, far from it. But there was a distinct 'when' flavour. And while Rook may have gotten the girl first, Rick had captured her inspiration's heart long before Heat and Rook steamed up the pages. Rick liked to think their alter-egos would get the happy ending they had, but was content with the fact that it looked likely.

Besides, he could always revisit Nikki and Rook's New York to write it, if he saw fit.

He stepped onto the red carpet, one hand firmly clasped in his wife's, the other resting on his son's shoulder. The dedication he had emailed through a week ago was still fresh in his mind, as if he had only just written it. Kate didn't know what it said, but he knew she would love it. Just like they loved each other and their family. Together, they made their way through the crowd of photographers and journalists as lightning ripped and thunder rolled across the sky.

"_To my wife, my lover, my best friend and muse. To my partner in crime and in life. Here's to the next chapter."_

"_And bring on the thunder."_

_Thunder – Boys Like Girls_

_**A/N:**__ And there we have it, kids. Thanks for taking this journey with me. I hope it wasn't too confusing for you‼ _

_Much love, _

_a-j._


End file.
